Slicing machine construction



\lg. 1-1, J. FOLK SLICING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION e sheets-sheet 1 Filed Sept. l5, 1952 l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l I l l l l l L- Aug. 11, 1936. J. FOLK 2,050,786

SLICING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed sept. 15, 1932 e Sheets-sheet' 2 vez 071' Jay Aug. l1, 1936. J. FOLK sLIcING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed sept. 15, 1952 6 sheets-sheet 5 Aug.11,1936. 1. FOLK l 2,050,786

SLICING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept, l5, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 1 l, 1936.

J. FOLK sLIcING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION e sheets-sheet 5 Filed Sept. l5, 1932 Aug. 1l, 1936. FOLK v 2,050,786

SLICING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. l5., 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 www m 4 f im ff ff i mgm WL Patented Aug. 11, 1936 SLICING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION `loseph Folk, La Porte, 1nd assignor to U. S. Slicing Machine Company, La Porte, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application September 15, 1932, Serial No. 633,252

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to slicing machines and particularly to slicing machines in which a circular knife is used and a carriage reciprocates relative to the knife whereby successive slices may be severed from a substance mounted on said carriage. 1n this type of machine there is usually provided a slice-receiving tray for receiving the slices as they are formed, and the present invention has for one of its objects the provision of a slicing machine constructed with a removable slice-receiving tray and with a recess beneath the base of the machine adjacent the slice-receiving tray for receiving a display tray or the like in place of the usual slicereceiving tray and for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Another object of this invention relates to the provision of a suitable motor mounting which is of novel construction. A Another object of this invention resides in providing a scrap-receiving space beneath the knife which is easy to clean and which, to a great extent, is automatically self-cleaning and prevents the accumulation of scraps in a position beneath the knife where it is difficult to reach the same. At the same time it does away with the necessity for using the usual scrap pan provided on such machines.

Another object of this invention resides in pron viding means for preventing scraps, grease, etc.,

from falling between the edge of the slice-receiving tray and the frame of the machine.

Another object is to provide a demountable slice-receiving tray having an extension located under the knife for catching scraps, grease, and other dripping from the knife so that the same may be readily removed from the machine with the slice-receiving tray to facilitate the maintenance of the machine in a clean, sanitary condition.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a novel releasable mounting for the tray which requires a minimum of effort on the part of the operator when removing the tray and putting the same in place, while at the same time forming a very solid support for the slice-receiving tray when in operative position.

Other objects ofthis invention will appear hereinafter as the description thereof proceeds, the novel features, arrangements and combinations being. clearly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 represents a side elevational View of a Vslicing machine embodying my invention;v

Fig. 2 represents a front elevational View of the same;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the slicing machine shown in Figs. 1 and2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially along 5` the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view substantially in the cutting plane of the knife through the bracket which supports the knife; Y

Fig. 'l is a section taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a section taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. 3; A 15 Fig. 9 is a bottom plan View of one form of slice-receiving tray adapted to be used With the slicing machine;

Fig. l0 is a section on the line llll0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a section taken along the line l I--l I of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view of a modified form of slice-receiving trayaud Fig. 13 is a section taken on the line l3l3 of Fig. 12. l

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference numeral l5v indicates generally the slicing machine base upon which the operative portions thereof are mounted. Thisbase is provided with three rubber feet I6 which supports the base at the points indicated most clearly in Fig. 3, and are secured to the base by means of suitable screws I1 or thel like. The slicing machine carriage i8 operated by the handle I9 is guided along suitable guides 20 and 2l in a rectilinear path past the slicing knife 22 which has the cutting plane thereof arranged substantially parallel to the path of movement of the carriage I8. Mounted on the carriage is a suitable clamp 23 slidable vertically along the uprights 24 and 25. The construction of the slicing machine carriage is more clearly set forth in my co-pending application, Serial No. 633,594 filed September 17, 1932. The guide 20 has an integral portion 20' of the base l5 extending over the surface of the guide throughout its entire length so as to protect the guider from foreign matter which mayfall thereon.

The knife is rotatably carried by means of a knife-supporting bracket 26 secured by bolts 21, or the like, to the side of the basel I5. The knife is driven by means of a. motor 28, which, as is best illustrated in-v Figs. 3, 4' and 5, is mounted withinV the base and beneath' and supported by the upwardly curved portion 29 thereof, which portion is curved to the shape of the motor. The motor is held in place by means of the machine screws 3|] which pass through the portion 29 of the base into the frame of the motor. The motor is connected to a drive pulley 3| by means of a pin and slot connection 32-33, but the drive pulley 3| is not carried by the motor shaft 34 through which the pin 32 extends. The pulley 3| is rather carried by a shaft which is rotatably mounted in the bearing indicated generally as at 35. A similar drive pulleyA is secured to the knife shaft, and a V-shaped belt is trained over the pulley on the knife shaft and the pulley 3| whereby the knife is actuated whenever the motor is rotating. A `switch 36 on the operators side of the base is used to control the motor 28.

The thickness of the slice is gauged by the gauge plate 31 which is rigidly mounted on a guide 38 which is moved longitudinally by a feed nut 39 threaded on the guide 38, and manually controlled to determine the thickness of the slice, the thickness of the slice being indicated on the graduated scale 4D. The gauge plate is also provided with an opening extending therethrough and a pin 4| rigidly secured to the base I5 passes through the opening and guides the gauge plate.

In the operation of the machine, the operator grasps the handle I9 and reciprocates the carriage |8 along the guides 20 and 2| and the clamp 23 is used to push the substance against the gauge pl-ate 31 when the 4carriage is at the inoperative position to have a definite amount of substance overlying the cutting plane of the knife so that when the substance is moved into engagement with the knife a predetermined amount of the substance will be cut therefrom to form a slice of desired thickness. Ordinarily in this operation, scraps are formed by the knife, and fall to a position below the knife onto a portion of the frame which connects the knife kbracket and base. This connecting portion usu- `ally has a at horizontal surface and is spaced a suilcient distance below the edge of the knife to receive a scrap pan. These scrap pans ordinarily become quite full after the machine has been used quite a little, and it requires constant attention on the part of the operator, who must see to it that the same does not become too full.

My present invention contemplates doing away with the scrap pan and the necessity for the same. In carrying out my invention, I preferably bring the slice-receiving surface into a position practically beneath the slicing knife, and in addition, provide a sloping surface on vthat portion of the frame of the slicing machine which connects the knife bracket with the base of the machine, whereby the scraps are directed downwardly onto the slice-receiving tray, and do not accumulate on the connecting portion. The surface slopes downwardly in a direction to- `ward the slice-receiving tray so that when scraps fall on it they tend to roll downwardly onto the tray, or onto a piece of paper which is usually on top of the tray, so that when the sliced meat is wrapped, the small fragments of meat which fall from the knife are wrapped therewith and nothing is lost to the buyer. Also, since the small amount of scraps which is formed each time the operator uses the machine is wrapped with the meat and carried away, there is no accumulation of scraps beneath the knife, and consequently it is not ordinarily even necessary to wipe the scraps from the tray, In the event,

however, that the operator does not wish to have the scraps fall on the paper, the paper need not be moved to a position to receive the scraps, and in that event the scraps are directed onto the tray itself and can be quickly wiped off as soon as the particular slicing operation is completed.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 42 represents an inclined web portion formed on the base I5 and the upper surface of this web portion 42 slopes downwardly and a portion of the web 42 overhangs the slice-receiving tray 43 at 44, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. This prevents grease and scraps from falling between the slice-receiving tray and the frame, and thereby renders the machine more sanitary, for the tray can be more readily cleaned when the same is in place without the necessity of removing it. As will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 6 in which the reference numeral 45 indicates the center of rotation of the knife 22, the tray 43 extends a substantial distance beneath the knife itself. The knife bracket 26 is secured to the base by the bolts 21, previously referred to. The surface 42 can very readily be cleaned by poking a cloth beneath the knife and forcing any scraps that may adhere thereto downwardly onto the slicereceiving tray 43 from which they can readily be wiped by the operator. VIt will also be noted from an inspection of Fig. 6 that a portion 46 of the slice defiector 4l extends beneath the knife to protect the operator when wiping the slicereceiving tray. The sloping surface 42 of the web extends upwardly toward the rear end of the machine and to a position preferably higher than the lower edge of the slicing knife and the whole surface 42 is spaced from the knife only a relatively short distance. As the knife rotates, the scraps which are formed adjacent the deflector 4? are carried around by the knife and the tendency is for the same to be thrown tangentially from the knife and the scraps which are thrown from the knife leave the knife approximately at the lowermost position of the knife and are thrown toward the rear of the machine. Since the surface 42 slopes upwardly and the rear end thereof is higher than the knife, the scraps which are thrown tangentially from the knife are intercepted by the sloping surface 42 and as a result are not thrown to a position beyond the rear end of the machine either onto the customer who may be standing by the machine or onto the floor or portions of the counter or the like.

'Ihe knife is provided with a guard 48 which extends around the periphery of the knife, and a guard 49 which is a flat plate which lies on the carriage side of the slicing knife to prevent the substance from rubbing against the knife after it passes the cutting edge of the knife, as is more clearly described in my aforesaid co-pending application.

As is indicated in Fig. '3, and also in the section in Fig. 8, the base I5 is also 4provided with an overhanging ledge portion 50 which overlies the edge of the slice-receiving tray 43 and performs a similar function to the overhanging portion 44 previously described. Thus the portions 44 and 5B which overlie the slice-receiving tray when the same is in operative position act as means for preventing the accumulation of foreign material between the edge of the tray and the frame of the slicing machine.

The manner in which the tray is mounted on the frame of the slicing machine is best illustrated in Figs. l, 2, 3, 9, 10 and 11. The tray -itself is carried by a three-armed bracket 5I,

position it will lie beneath the overhanging 'portions 4d and 5B on the frame and against the adjacent portions of the frame. Fig. 10 which shows a section through one of the arms and V'a portion of the tray 43, shows the manner -in which the tray is supported and clamped on bracket 5|. On the upper side of each arm at the'end thereof, there is provided a `cylindrical recess which receives the cylindrical shaped lrubber cushion member -53 upon which vthe tray 43 rests. A screw 54 which is `secured to the arm passes through a slot 55 in a retaining clip 56 which extends upwardly and over the upper edge of the tray 43 and has an extension 51'1which prevents the paper from sliding o the tray. An adjusting thumbscrew 51 passes -through the clip 56 and abuts against the lower side of the arm. The thumbscrew 51 is first substantially fully retracted so that it does not bear against the arm with any appreciable clamping pressure and the clip `56 is moved against the edge of the tray 43, after which the thumbscrew is tightened to force the tray against the rubber cushion 53 and to slightly compress the same, whereby the tray is held firmly, but not rigidly. Before the thumbscrew 5l is operated, the screw 54 is adjusted to substantially hold the clip against longitudinal movement away from the edge of the tray 43, although generally the springing of the clip 56 by the thumbscrew 5l does not require that the screw 54 be tightened, or tightened at least to any considerable extent.

To the bracket 5I thereis secured a rod v58 by means of a pair of screws 59, which extend through the bearing in which the rod "58 Yis arranged. The rod is tapered-at its free end as at 6i. The bracket 5! is provided with a spring clip 62, Fig. 9, secured to the underside thereof by screws-63, a portion of the. clip being spaced from the underside of the bracket 5l for the reception of a pin 64 secured to the knife bracket, as indicated clearly in Fig. 3. The pin 64 is tapered at G5 so that it readily enters the space between the spring clip 62 and the bracket 5I. The base of the slicing machine has a recess-"6B therein to receive the rod 58 and a clamping screw 6l is used to clamp the rod 58 in adjusted position after it is inserted into the opening 66.

In mounting the tray on the slicing machine the operator merely inserts the rod 58 vin the opening 56, and by a movement of the tray longitudinally of the rod 58 causes the pin 65 to enter the space between the spring clipf62 -a-nd the bracket 5i, whereby the tray is held firmly in position. It may be removed, however, by merely releasing the thumbscrew 6l.

As slices are formed they are deflected by the deiiector 4l in the usual manner, and onto the slice-receiving tray, the operator generally grasping the slice before it falls and assisting its movement in such a manner that it will be laid down flatly on the paper or tray, as the case may be. It is usual, however, to use a piece of paper on the tray for receiving the slices.

The slice-receiving tray shown in Fig. 9 is made of glass or vitrolite and is perfectly flat on its upper surface, the outer edges being beveled, as clearly illustrated in the drawings, with the exception of the edges which lie beneath the overhanging portions 44 and 5B, which I shall refer to4 in the claims as beads, In Fig. l2 of the drawings, however, I have shown a metal plate of 44 HandI 5.0 Ywhen-thestray isi in place. Vindicated by-the reference character "69. A rod -erable amount of shifting of the slices.

is shaped 'the 4.same as that shown in Fig. 9, but

"hasa re-inforcing bead 58 around that portion of the tray `which does not lie under the beads The tray is A1li), simi-lartorodf58, is secured against the under- :.side ofthe plate' by brackets 'H attached thereto by spot Welding, `or thelike,.and a pair of spring clips 'l2-and 'I3 :areaspot welded' to the underside Vofvthe tray '69 and .are adapted to `receive the ``pin 64 therebetween in the same manner that the-pin '-64 is received between the Ibracket .5l

and spring Iclip 62 in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. The

trayis meuh-ted linrposition inthe same manner asthetrayillustrated inFigs. 9, 10 and 11.

vIt` is sometimes desirablelto display meats, etc., in -thewindow of va shop, and -with the ordinari7 type o'f slicing machinesit is not 'an easy thing todeposit slices on a display traywithout considera-ble Amanipulation 'of'thei tray, orA a consid- Also, afterslices-are deposited on a tray and on each other, they cannot be readily rearranged. By

having the slice-receiving tr-aybodily removable a clear space is left for a display tray and with 'the three-legged mounting 'for the frame of -the slicing machine space is left-beneath the base and knife bracket'suflicient to permit of the insertion of a 'display-tray therebeneath so that widely di-ierent portions of the tray may be positioned in-slice-receiving position when the tray '43 is removed. `As will'be seenfrom an inspectien of =Fig. '-2,the display tray 14, which in a `great'rnanyinstances is only aflat-sheet or a flat -sheet -with a small Vperipheral upstanding edge, may be-inserted beneath the base I5 to a position against the footfll, which is at the front of themachine. I-t valso may extend beneath the --knifezbracket -26u-ntil it engages the footy l5 which -is mounted onthe underside of the bracket, as

wil-1 be. seen from -an inspection of Fig. 1. As

slices are formed'they are mounted on'the display -tray practically in lthe position in which Vthey fall and the tray is then shifted abo-ut to bring other portions to slice-receiving position.

Y This is a great advantage over-the common types -of slicing machines havinga fixed tray or which vare Anot provided with a suflicie-nt amount of clearance'to permit of the insertion of the display tray beneath portions of the frame.

`Moreover, the complete removal of the slicereceiving tray 43 and its bracket 69 allows the slicing machine to be positioned yabove a large vreceptacle such as a barrel or other bulk container in such :a way that the sliced material mayfall directly into-the receptacle. 'This is of 4particular advantage where material such as "vegetables are beingsliced in `large quantities and packed in'acontainer asin canneries and numerous other places where large quantities of vegetables are sliced.

`-Ubviously, those skilled in the Vart to which `this invention'pertains may make Various changes in the construction and thefarrangement of the parts shown `in the drawings without departing from the spirit ofthis invention, and therefore `I do not wish to be limited-except :as'hereinafter s et `forth in the appended-claims Having thus fullyl described'my invention, what I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A slicing machine comprising a frame, and a slice-receiving tray having a releasable connection with'said frame, said releasable connection comprising a pair of spring clips secured to the underside of said tray and spaced from each other and adapted to embrace a lateral extending pin on said frame, a pin on said tray, said frame having a recess for receiving and snugly embracing said pin, and a laterally extending pin on said frame adapted to be received between and embraced by said spring clip whereby the tray is adapted -to be supported in operative position.

2. A slicing machine comprising a frame, and a slice-receiving tray having a releasable connection with said frame, said releasable connection comprising a pair of spring clips secured to the underside of said tray and spaced from each other and adapted to embrace a laterally extending pin on said frame, a pin on said tray, said frame having a recess for receiving and snugly embracing said pin, a laterally extending pin on said frame adapted to be received between and embraced by said spring clip whereby the tray is adapted to be supported in operative position, and a restraining means on said frame adapted to be moved into contact with said pin on said tray when said pin is in the opening on said tray for preventing movement of said tray to an inoperative position.

3. In a slicing machine the combination of a frame, a rotary mounted slicing knife, a carriage reciprocal past said knife to cut slices from substance carried by said carriage, and a slice receiving tray to receive slices as they are formed by the knife, said tray having an appreciable portion thereof extending beyond the cutting plane of the knife and having side edges thereof abutting the frame, said frame having a deflecting portion positioned under the knife and inclined toward the tray and provided with integral portions thereon overhanging the abutting edges of the tray, and intertting means on the frame and tray for detachably holding and supporting the tray in position inY respect to the knife and maintaining the edges of the tray in proper position relative to the frame and projecting portions.

4. In a slicing machine the combination of a frame, a knife-supporting bracket carried by the frame, a rotary knife mounted on said bracket, a slice receiving tray arranged beneath said knife and extending an appreciable distance under and to one side thereof, said knife supporting bracket having a deflector portion substantially equal in length to a radius of the knife extending under the knife and sloping downwardly from its rear end to the tray and overlapping the edge thereof.

5. In a slicing machine the combination of a frame, a knife-supporting bracket carried by the frame, a rotary knife mounted on said bracket, a slice receiving tray arranged beneath said knife and extending an appreciable distance to one side thereof, said knife supporting bracket having a sloping portion extending under the knife and sloping downwardly from the rearward side thereof toward the tray, projections integrally formed on the sloping portion and overhanging the tray at the upper surface of the tray, and interfitting means on the tray and sloping portion for detachably supporting the tray in position and holding the tray in position in respect to the sloping portion of the bracket and the projections on the sloping portion.

6. In a slicing machine, a base, a frame, a knife rotatably supported on the frame, a substance carriage reciprocal past the knife, a slice receiver mounted on the frame adjacent the knife and positioned withY appreciable portions extending on each side of the knife cutting plane, and a projecting web member xed to the frame in position to receive scraps from the knife and inclined downwardly toward and overhanging the slice receiver whereby to direct scraps thereon beyond the edge thereof, said web member and slice receiver, together forming substance receiving means positioned under the knife and extending forwardly and rearwardly beyond the projection of the knife upon the base.

'7. In a slicing machine, a frame, a. knife rotatablysupported on the frame, a substance carriage reciprocal past the knife, a slice receiver mounted adjacent the knife and extending beyond the center of rotation thereof yin a position to receive the substance slices cut by the knife, and a deector member positioned beneath and in the cutting plane of the knife and extending beyond the cutting edge of the knife to receive scraps flung therefrom and sloped toward the slice receiver whereby to project scrap portions onto the receiver.

8. In a slicing machine, a frame, a knife rotatably supported on the frame, a substance carriage reciprocal past the knife, a slice receiver mounted adjacent the knife in a position to receive the substance slice's cut by the knife, and a deilector member positioned under the knife and extending in a plane substantially parallel to a tangent to a cutting edge of the knife to receive scraps flung from the knife, said deector member sloping downwardly to the slice receiver and overhangingl a portion thereof whereby t project scrap portions onto an intermediate portion of the receiver.

9. In a slicing machine, a frame, a knife rotatably supported on the frame, a substance carriage reciprocal past the knife, a slice receiving tray removably mounted on the frame adjacent the knife in position to receive the substance slices cut by the knife, an intermediate portion of the tray being positioned beneath the center of revolution of the knife and two side edges of the tray being in engagement with the frame, lips on the frame overhanging said edges, and a deflector portion on the frame positioned in the cutting plane of the knife to receive scraps flung therefrom, said deiiector being sloped to project the scraps by gravity onto one of said lips and onto the slice receiving tray.

10. In a slicing machine, a frame, a knife rotatably supported on the frame, a substance carriage reciprocable past the forward edge of the knife, a slice receiver mounted beneath the knife in a position to receive slices cut from the knife and having a portion arranged in the plane of the knife, a guard for the knife extending along the rear peripheral edge thereof, and a deector member positioned in the plane of the knife and sloping downwardly from a point to the rear of the lower end of said guard to a point forward of the rear edge of the slice receiver, said deflector serving to direct scraps flung from the knife or dropped from the guard onto the slice receiver.

JOSEPH FOLK. 

